Public Rights of Way

Public Rights of Way

Somerset is a wonderful county full of contrast and there is no better way to absorb its beauty, variety and history than through the Public Rights of Way network. The county has over 9000 rights of way totalling 3808 miles (6129 km). The extensive path network is varied ranging from long distance routes such as the South West Coast Path and the River Parrett Trail, to a number of promoted circular routes and local country paths.

The majority of the public rights of way network in Somerset is made up of public footpaths, over which the public only have a right on foot. There are also many public bridleways over which you can walk, ride a horse and also cycle (as long as you give way to other walkers and horse riders). There are a lesser number of restricted byways and a handful of byways open to all traffic. Restricted byways allow walkers, horse riders, cyclists and non-mechanically propelled vehicles (e.g: horse and cart), whereas byways open to all traffic allow all users including motorised traffic.

We are responsible for protecting and asserting your rights to use the network and for keeping the legal record of public rights of way up-to-date. We have also published a Rights of Way Improvement Plan for the county and are responsible for the recruiting for, and servicing of, the Somerset Local Access Forum.

A specialist team deals exclusively with these rights of way issues, which are delivered in partnership with the Exmoor National Park Authority and the District/ Borough Councils.

For more information about the services that we provide and how you can get involved please follow the links to our other pages which can be found under Council Activities.

The England Coast Path - SomersetTo find out about how Somerset County Council's Rights of Way Team are working with Natural England to implement the Somerset stretch of the England Coast Path please refer to the 'The England Coast Path - Somerset' leaflet in the Information and resources section.

Rights of Way Improvement PlanThe Rights of Way Improvement Plan (RoWIP) is the document that identifies how we propose to improve the provision of public rights of way and service delivery in Somerset for walkers, cyclists, equestrians and those with visual or mobility impairments. It contains policy statements and an action plan.

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 placed a duty on all Highway Authorities to produce a RoWIP by November 2007. The Somerset RoWIP was adopted in November 2006.

The existing network of public rights of way dates back over 50 years and in many areas there has been little change to the path network. The landscape has changed in this time, as has the way that we move about the countryside with an increased use of public rights of way for recreational purposes. Therefore we need to provide a network of routes that meets the current and future needs of the public, for residents and visitors alike. However, this has to be achieved within the current restrictive legal framework.

Public consultation resulted in over 1000+ suggestions for new routes, diversions or improvements to existing routes. These proposals have been prioritised using the RoWIP scorecard and will be investigated further as and when resources allow.

The RoWIP is part of the Local Transport Plan 2006-2011. The RoWIP is to be reviewed at least every 10 years.

Open access landUnder the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, the public were given rights to walk freely over mapped access land without having to stay on public rights of way. We are responsible for enabling and managing access on this land, in consultation with the Somerset Local Access Forum.

To find out more information about open access land please contact us or visit the Natural England website by using the link in the Information and Resources section.

Landowners and long-term tenants can apply for restrictions to suspend or prevent access onto their land for land management, safety or fire prevention reasons. You will need to apply for restrictions to the Natural England. Please call the Open Access Contact Centre on0845 100 3298. Signs will be placed at access points to the restricted areas with an indication of when the restriction will be lifted.

The new rights do not entitle you to ride a bike or a horse, drive a vehicle, camp, hunt, fish or collect anything from the area, light fires or take part in organised games or commercial activities. However, this does not affect existing rights such as bridleways and footpaths or any other rights that apply locally

In Somerset, over 63 sq miles/163 km² of land has been successfully opened up as access land. We have worked with landowners and land mangers to help to ensure that where possible, the land is fully accessible, whilst not conflicting with conservation and heritage interests.

Please observe our countryside code by:

Planning your route and following signs

Leaving gates and property as you find them

Protecting plants and animals

Taking litter home

Keeping children and dogs under control

Contacts

Address: Rights of Way Team, Somerset County Council, County Hall, Taunton TA1 4DY

Information and resources

Please note: Some people have had problems using our Interactive Mapping and there are compatibility issues with some internet browsers. We apologise for any problems you may have had. Please bear with us while we look into using a different system.

We release data containing details of the rights of way in Somerset. The date of this data is 11 December 2013. Please be aware that the Interactive Mapping includes any changes made since this data was obtained.

Any use of this data must include the date of the data and the following disclaimer:

The precise line of a right of way can only be determined by reference to the Definitive Map (1:10560 scale). Somerset County Council can accept no responsibility for any error or inaccuracy which may arise from the transposition of the Definitive Map to a different scale.